Kukla's Korner Hockey

Penner was a dressing room no-show after the game, sending word that he was “in the gym.”

The previous game, MacTavish had been asked about benching Penner and replied: “Dustin lacks the consistency, night in and night out, but I wasn’t upset with the lack of focus or energy. He just struggled with the puck.”

Yesterday, he had more to say.

“He’s lost his game. It’s more than his play with the puck. When you have a guy like Hemsky playing the way he is right now, all you have to do is get him the puck somewhere between the hash marks in your own end and the red line and you are going to get a chance.

“Hemsky’s an elite player playing at the top of the game and we have to find someone for him.”